71 years old and still going strong, Louisiana-born Tony Joe White is nothing short of a national musical treasure. White first gained fame mainly through his songwriting; 1969’s “Polk Salad Annie” was his only Top Ten hit, but artists such as Dusty Springfield (“Willie and Laura Mae Jones”), Brook Benton (“Rainy Night in Georgia”) and Elvis Presley (“For Ol’ Times Sake”; “I’ve Got a Thing About You Baby”) took his songs to the charts. But White has always been a singular performer in his own right; the honeyed burr of his baritone, his alternately tough and tender vocal delivery and liberal use of his “whomper stomper” wah-wah pedal lend him a completely distinctive sound, Simply put, nobody, but nobody, sounds like Tony Joe White, and on this 2-CD collection, we’ve rounded up all three of the classic albums he recorded for Warner Bros. in the early ‘70s—all of which are out of print and costing a mint online—plus non-LP singles to createThe Complete Warner Bros. Recordings. Recorded in Memphis (partly at Ardent Studios of Big Star fame), 1971’s Tony Joe White paired him with producer Peter Asher (James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt) and shifted the focus slightly from the fuzz-drenched swamp rock of White’s Monument recordings to a more introspective style, though “They Caught the Devil and Put Him in Jail in Eudora, Arkansas” and “My Kind of Woman” could blow the doors off any roadhouse south of the Mason-Dixon line. White’s next album, 1972’s The Train I’m On, continued this gentler, more vulnerable style to great effect; produced by the legendary team of Jerry Wexler and Tom Dowd, with the mighty Muscle Shoals sessioneers in support, Train’s set of songs tackled complex themes of dislocation, alienation and loss with a blend of blues, soul and folk highlighted by some beautiful acoustic guitar work by White and Tippy Armstrong. It’s a masterpiece. And 1973’s Homemade Ice Cream might be even better; White’s original version of “For Ol’ Times Sake” is just devastating, and “I Want Love (‘Tween You and Me),” “Taking the Midnight Train” and the title track are every bit as good. Co-producer Tom Dowd and a crack band of guitarist Reggie Young, bassist Norbert Putnam, drummer Kenny Malone and keyboardist David Briggs (of Neil Young fame) catch every nuance of these deceptively simple songs. Real Gone’s presentation of this essential material features liner notes by Ben Edmonds featuring fresh quotes from Tony Joe White himself. Not to be missed.

“Food for the soul can be whatever warms the heart and lightens the spirit—old photographs, campfire stories, family gatherings, and home cooked meals.” –Leann White

Rattlesnakes & Cookies is a compilation of old family photographs, Southern homestyle recipes passed down through the generations, and stories shared by Leann and Tony Joe about family, friends, and music. Rattlesnakes & Cookies is both a cookbook and a memoir, inviting fans of Tony Joe to glimpse into his family background and see the many ways that both food and music have a special way of bringing everyone together.

During a special five-night stand with the Foo Fighters on the Late Show, Tony Joe White made a guest appearance with the band for the performance of “Polk Salad Annie.” Watch the video here: Tony Joe White on Letterman.

The Foo Fighters’ performance was in support of their HBO series Sonic Highways. Catch the Nashville episode featuring Tony Joe White airing on Friday, October 31 at 10:00 PM EST / 11:00 PM CST.

Touring in support of HOODOO, Tony Joe White will embark across Europe to share new and old songs. With added dates in France, Holland, and Germany, fans will have numerous opportunities to catch Tony Joe on tour this summer.